Steep slope roofing panel system and method

ABSTRACT

A steep slope roofing panel system includes an underlayment and a plurality of roofing panels installed atop the underlayment. The panels may be installed to provide both protection from the environment and watershedding. Alternatively, the panels and the underlayment may share the watershedding functions of the roof, with one as a primary watershedding component and the other as an auxiliary watershedding component. The roofing system may be custom manufactured off-site based upon predetermined measurements and characteristics of a roof and its protrusions. Alternatively, the roofing system may be custom manufactured at the job site based upon such measurements and characteristics. Each panel may be assigned to a location on the roof and may include imprinted instructions regarding cutting and/or bending the panel to form flashing, drip edges, or other features, as well as the panel&#39;s location and installation sequence on the roof.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present Patent Application is a continuation of co-pending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 17/149,810, filed Jan. 15, 2021, whichclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/962,634, filedJan. 17, 2020.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The disclosures made in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/149,810,filed Jan. 15, 2021 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/962,634,filed Jan. 17, 2020, are specifically incorporated by reference hereinas if set forth in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to residential roofing systems andmore specifically to roofing systems utilizing designed and manufacturedpanels fabricated on site or off site based upon the geometry and/orconfiguration of the roof to be constructed.

BACKGROUND

Many existing steep-slope roofing systems require multiple layers ofredundant material or overly with complicated geometric features tocreate the primary water-shedding surface of the roof.

SUMMARY

Briefly described, the roofing systems as embodied in the examplesdisclosed herein comprise a series of roofing components that enablecustomization of the manufacture of such roofing components to match aroof geometry and other factors, and, when installed as detailed below,provides water-shedding capability to steep-sloped roofs (for example,but without limitation, 2:12 and steeper) and protects the interior of aroofed structure from water infiltration. The roofing system may includean underlayment and a plurality of overlying roofing panel components(hereinafter “roofing panels”). The roofing panels and/or theunderlayment are configured to make up the primary water-sheddingfeature of an installed roofing system, and further can includeprotective coatings or layers, such as a UV and a weather or impactresistant protective layer, applied thereafter. Options for attachingthe water-shedding components to the underlying roof structure andoptions for attaching water-shedding components to each other also aredisclosed.

In some aspects the roofing panels may be custom manufactured for thesize and shape of a specific roof and its protrusions. In someembodiments, manufacturing of the roofing panels can be done off site,based on an assessment of a roof geometry, including roof measurementssuch as length, width, pitch and other measurements, or can be doneon-site, in the field in real time during installation, such as by theuse of mobile manufacturing equipment. For example, in some embodiments,the roofing panels can be manufactured and shipped as a kit or roofingassembly including a quantity of pre-measured and custom manufacturedpanels that can be provided with instructions for their location orpositioning along the roof. In some embodiments, such custom roofingpanels also may be printed with specific installation instructions suchas where they should be installed on the roof and in what sequence andhow they should be cut and bent to form integral flashing and drip edgefeatures. In further embodiments, the roofing panels also can haveadhesive strips or other connectors applied along a bottom or lowersurface thereof, and which are configured to attach and/or sealperipheral edges of the roofing panels to adjacent roofing panels duringinstallation on a roof.

Aspects of the present disclosure may include, without limitation, aroofing panel system comprising a plurality of roofing panels configuredto be formed in accordance with an assessment of a roof geometry,including parameters or features of the roof such as pitch, length,width, location and sizes of obstructions, etc.; and installed incourses on a roof with each panel overlapping at least one other paneland with adhesive and/or sealant disposed in regions of overlap. Inembodiments, the roofing panels can be custom formed to a size and/orconfiguration in view of the assessed geometry of the roof on which theroofing panels are installed.

In additional embodiments, an underlayment can be positioned along ordisposable below a lower surface of the roofing panels as part of theirassembly on a roof structure to form a roof. In some furthernon-limiting embodiments, the roofing panels can provide a primary watershedding function for the assembled or installed roof. In otherembodiments, the underlayment can provide the primary watersheddingfunction.

In embodiments, the roofing panels, when installed, can overlaphorizontally adjacent panels in a course at their side edges; and/or canoverlap vertically adjacent panels in a next lower course at theirforward edges. The roofing panels further can be installed and/orattached in series using adhesive and/or sealant materials disposedbetween roofing panels in the areas of overlap. In still furtherembodiments, the adhesive and/or sealant material is configured as acontinuous or substantially continuous strip. For example, inembodiments, the adhesive and/or sealant is configured as adiscontinuous strip and further comprising an underlayment below theplurality of roofing panels to provide a primary watershedding function.

In other embodiments of the roofing system, the roofing panels may becut and bent to form integral water shedding features that conform toprotrusions and edges of a roof. For example, the roofing panels caninclude a deformable material, such as metal or polymers, that can beformed to shape in the field by an installer. In addition, inembodiments, the roofing panels can be marked with instructions to aninstaller.

The foregoing and other advantages and aspects of the embodiments of thepresent disclosure will become apparent and more readily appreciatedfrom the following detailed description and the claims, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. Moreover, it is to beunderstood that both the foregoing summary of the disclosure and thefollowing detailed description are exemplary and intended to providefurther explanation without limiting the scope of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure, areincorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrateembodiments of this disclosure, and together with the detaileddescription, serve to explain the principles of the embodimentsdiscussed herein. No attempt is made to show structural details of thisdisclosure in more detail than may be necessary for a fundamentalunderstanding of the exemplary embodiments discussed herein and thevarious ways in which they may be practiced.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a section of a roofing system applied toa roof according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view showing overlapping roofing panels accordingto embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing overlapping panels according toembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 a is an isometric view showing overlapping panels withdiscontinuous sealant strips according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4 b is an isometric view showing overlapping panels secured to aroof deck and to each other by visible and covered fasteners.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing panels bent to form integratedflashing and drip edges according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 6 is a table showing four embodiments of regimes for manufacturingroofing panels of the present disclosure both off site and on site.

FIG. 7 is a workflow chart illustrating manufacturing and installationof a roofing panel system according to regime 1 of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 8 is a workflow chart illustrating manufacturing and installationof a roofing panel system according to regime 2 of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 9 is a workflow chart illustrating manufacturing and installationof a roofing panel system according to regime 3 of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 10 is a workflow chart illustrating manufacturing and installationof a roofing panel system according to regime 4 of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing inputs and outputs of a panel dispositioncalculation algorithm according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a digital representation of theroof of a house incorporating a roofing panel system according toembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a trapezoidal roofing panel for abutting avalley according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of a roofing panel for a specific location ona roof and incorporating installation instructions applicable to thatspecific location.

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a roofing panel for a specific roofprotrusion on a roof and incorporation bending and cutting instructionsto form integrated flashing for the protrusion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described inmore detail with reference to the above described drawing figures. Ingeneral, embodiments of the roofing panel system 10 are divided into twoconfiguration categories. Category 1 configurations generally exemplifyroofing systems in which the primary watershedding function and theprotective and weathering function are provided by surfaces on the samecomponents. In category 2 configurations, the primary watersheddingfunction and the weathering function may not be provided by surfaces ofthe same components.

For this disclosure, a weathering surface includes a surface of anycomponent of the roofing system that is fully or partially exposeddirectly to the outside environment when the system is fully installed.A primary watershedding surface includes a surface of one or morecomponents configured for diverting water that falls on the weatheringsurface away from the underlying roof structure. If a component surfaceor a combination of component surfaces enables and/or allows a path forwater (e.g. rain, snow, ice . . . ) falling on the weathering surface topenetrate, that component surface or combination of component surfacesgenerally is not considered a primary watershedding surface.

An auxiliary water-shedding surface includes a component surface or acombination of component surfaces that either partially diverts wateraway from the underlying roof structure (i.e. flows of water falling onthe roof are diverted away from the underlying roof structure by theauxiliary watershedding surface, but pathways may still exist for waterto penetrate), or provides additional watershedding capacity behind orbelow a component surface to provide the primary water-sheddingfunction.

A category 1 embodiment may be characterized by a roofing systemcomprising a sealing or non-sealing underlayment that can be eitherfully adhered or mechanically attached to the roofing structure. Such anunderlayment can act as an auxiliary watershedding layer. The system mayfurther comprise a plurality of thin, flat roofing panels installed ontop of the underlayment layer. In embodiments, the roofing panels can berectangular, square, polygonal, and/or a variety of otherconfigurations. In embodiments, the roofing panels can be installed inarrays or courses. For example, the roofing panels can be installed in aseries of overlapping courses such as indicated in FIGS. 1-4 b, with alower horizontal edge of an upper roofing panel overlapping an upperhorizontal edge of a roofing panel or series of panels in a next lowercourse of roofing panels. Adhesive strips or other patterned sealantmaterials can be provided to seal all overlapping portions of adjacentpanels together.

In embodiments, a substantially continuous sealant or adhesive strip orset of strips, dots, dashes or other sealant/adhesive applications canbe positioned between roofing panels in regions where the panelsoverlap, which will serve to attach windward edges of roofing panels toadjacent panels. The overlaps, in conjunction with the adhesive strips,result in a roofing panel surface that provides a primary watersheddingfunction as well as a weathering function. Installation according tostandard shingling practices (for example, but without limitation,double overlap vertically adjacent panels in consecutive courses and nooverlap of horizontally adjacent panels) generally fall into category 1.FIG. 1 shows an example category 1 roofing panel system 10 installed intraditional shingle style, with nails and adhesive strips as theattachment means to secure roofing panels 20 in courses or in array 15along a roofing deck or substrate 16 of a roofing structure 17. Theresulting exposed weathering surface in this example is printed toimitate a traditional slate roofing material.

FIG. 2 shows an example embodiment of the category 1 roofing panelsinstallation of FIG. 1 . In FIG. 2 panels 21 and 22 are horizontallyadjacent in one course and panel 20 is an offset vertically adjacentpanel in a next lower course. Panels 21 and 22 overlap at theirrespective side edges as indicated at 23 and both overlap panel 20 alongtheir forward edges as indicated at 24. An adhesive and/or sealant strip26 is disposed between the overlapping portions of panels 21 and 22 andan adhesive and/or sealant strip 27 is disposed between portions ofpanels 21 and 22 that overlap panel 20. Fasteners such as nails 28 (FIG.3 ) above the adhesive strip 27 may attach the panels to an underlyingroof structure. All edges of the panels are secured to adjacent panelsby the adhesive and/or sealant to prevent water penetration betweenhorizontally adjacent panels and vertically adjacent panels. Thus, theroofing panels themselves can provide the weathering function and theprimary watershedding function.

FIG. 3 illustrates the panel installation configuration of FIG. 2 withthe addition of intermediate adhesive and/or sealant strips 29 along thebacks of the panels to attach the panels to the underlayment layer.Panels may be attached using mechanical fastening (nails, screws, clips,etc.) 28, mechanical surface treatment, adhesive such as strips 29covering the back of the panel either fully or partially, or by otherattachment mechanisms. Such other attachment mechanisms may be builtinto the underlayment layer and may include for example magnetic stripsfor attaching metal panels, complimentary reactive surface chemistry,hook-and-loop fasteners, and mechanical snaps to name a few. Formechanically attached systems in which the mechanical attachment (e.g.fasteners such as nails, screws, etc.) passes through the panel such asnails 28, the mechanical attachments are located such that they arecovered by the overlapping of the panels and either behind or fullyencompassed by the adhesive strip. The width of overlap and adhesivestrip is determined by the fastening method, panel size, and windperformance requirements.

A category 2 system embodiment generally is similar to a system incategory 1 except that the underlayment selected will be configures tobe capable of sealing joints between courses of underlayment and aroundpenetrations. In embodiments, the underlayment provides the primarywatershedding function, and the panels are not continuously sealed wherethey overlap. The roofing panels may be face-nailed at the overlaps asan alternative fastening method between adjacent roofing panels 21/22and from the roofing panel to roof structure. In this case the panelsact as an auxiliary water-shedding surface and the weathering andenvironmental protective layer for the primary water-shedding surface,which is the underlayment. Such a category 2 system is illustrated inFIGS. 4 a and 4 b . FIG. 4 a illustrates the use of discontinuousadhesive and/or sealant strips between overlapping edges of panels andFIG. 4 b illustrates the use of exposed fasteners along windward edgesof panels. In each case, pathways exist for water to penetrate thepanels and the underlayment provides the primary water sheddingfunction.

In some embodiments, the roofing panels of both categories can be flat,thin, and rectangular to facilitate ease of installation, alignment, andin situ forming around obstructions. Other configurations, such assquare, trapezoidal, polygonal, or other configurations can also beprovided. The simplicity of the roofing panel geometry further will beselected to enable an installer to easily cut, bend, and otherwise formthe panel as needed to flash against obstructions in the roof plane suchas chimneys, vertical walls, pitch changes, eaves, and rakes. Thiseliminates the necessity for additional water shedding or flashingcomponents around such obstructions. When compared with asphalticshingle installations for example, roofing panels of the presentdisclosure eliminate the need for separate step flashing and separatedrip edge components.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment at the roofing panel system installed arounda protruding chimney C on a roof 5. Panels 31, 32, and 33 that intersectthe chimney are simply cut and bent as indicated at 34 to form panelsections that extend partially up the faces of the chimney. In thisaspect, the roofing panels themselves can provide the function offlashing around the chimney and the flashing is integral to the panelsonce cut and bent. This can reduce the possibility of leaks around thechimney and, more importantly, eliminates the need for auxiliaryflashing and counter flashing components around the chimney. FIG. 5 alsoshows that roofing panels along an eave (or rake) edge 35 are simplybent downwardly to form an integral drip edge 36 along roofterminations.

Panel material selection for both categories of roofing systems 10generally is dictated by the durability of the material under theexpected environment over the target design life of the particularembodiment, the ability of the material to be formed into durable thinsheets, and the ability of the material to deform plastically withoutbreaking, cracking, or otherwise losing integrity. Possible panelmaterials may include, but are not limited to metals such as zinc,copper, aluminum, stainless steel, galvanized steel, and painted orotherwise coated steel; sandwich composites such as vibration dampedsteel; polymer film and sheet composites; polymers; and rubber such asrecycled tire rubber to name a few. Any material that meets the aboverequirements should be considered to fall within the scope of theroofing system of the present disclosure as exemplified herein.

Manufacturing Regimes

FIG. 6 illustrates four regimes for manufacturing roofing panelsaccording to embodiments of the present disclosures. In embodiments, theroofing panels 21/22 of the roofing panel systems 10 may be manufacturedand delivered to market according to one of the four regimes. Eachregime integrates different levels of roofing knowledge and practiceinto the panel and relies on the contractor's skill to varying degreesin the different steps of the roof installation process.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show an embodiment of a workflow from manufacture throughinstallation of a roofing panel system according to regime 1. In thisregime, a stock of standardized panels is produced to standard set ofsizes and provided to the contractor in bundles, pallets or otherstacking system. In some embodiments, the standardized panels areprovided before knowing the details of a roof on which the system is tobe installed. This manufacture and installation regime is closest to thepractice currently implemented for asphaltic roofing products forexample. Regime 1 lends itself to manufacture and installation of theroofing panel system with some benefits, though not all of the benefits,afforded by the roofing panel system of the present disclosure. Roofingpanels produced under this regime 1 still can be manipulated by theinstaller to integrate flashing and drip edge components into the panelduring installation.

With regime 1, an installer may only need to provide general or somewhatsimple estimates of a roof geometry to calculate the quantity ofstandard roofing panels required. The contractor is responsible for roofassessment, panel calculation, and installation

FIGS. 6 and 8 show workflow from manufacture through installation of aroofing panel system according to regime 2. Regime 2, however, moves theproduction of the panels from an offsite factory to the job site. Thischanges the manufacturing and installation workflow as shown in FIG. 8 .As in regime 1, the roof assessment step can be a general or somewhatsimple estimation of the roof geometry only used to estimate a materialquantity of roofing panels. Panel calculation further relies on theskill of the contractor to make ad hoc design decisions. In thisembodiment or regime, a supply of panel material and/or other materials,such as adhesive or sealant strip materials will be provided, togetherwith, mobile or portable manufacturing equipment or systems (e.g.measuring, cutting and forming equipment) will be provided onsite formanufacture of the panels in the field. In addition, or alternatively, aseries or set of standard size or configuration panels also can beprovided, without having to provide a supply or master roll of panelmaterial in the field.

In addition, since panels are manufactured onsite as needed, themanufacturing equipment operator can interact with installers to providepanels with the required length and cutoff angle as required.Manufacturing to length as required can reduce waste and help resolvesome logistics issues. For example, sufficient quantities of panels areguaranteed and damaged panels can be re-manufactured immediately. Also,aspects of the manufacture and installation process fall on thecontractor, with the manufacturer generally being responsible forproviding the manufacturing equipment and raw materials.

FIGS. 6 and 9 show workflow from manufacture through installation of aroofing panel system according to regime 3. Regime 3 covers custompanels manufactured off-site and shipped to a job-site. This regimegenerally requires a more precise assessment of the geometry of the roofin advance because the panel calculation step is performed by the panelmanufacturer. Roofing panels are then custom manufactured tosubstantially match the roof geometry and each panel may be assigned toa specific location on the roof and the panels may require a specificinstallation sequence. For example, the assessment of the roof geometrygenerally will include determination of a length, width, pitch, andlocations of obstructions such as a chimney, pipes, sky-lights, etc. . ..

The panel requirements for regime 3 are determined and optimized forinstallation at a specific location on a specific roof. Regime 3facilitates standardization of roofing best practices rather thanrelying on the expertise of the installer by centralizing the roofingknow-how and implementing it into the product directly. In this regime,the manufacturer generally can be responsible for the panel calculationand panel manufacture while the contractor is responsible for the roofassessment and installation.

FIGS. 6 and 10 illustrate workflow from manufacture through installationof a roofing panel system according to regime 4. Regime 4 is the similarto Regime 3 except that the means of manufacturing the panels isportable and available on-site. In this regime, the installer receivesthe panel raw materials such as coils and adhesives such that the panelscan be installed and customized, as required, on site. For example, inthis embodiment or regime, a supply of panel material and othermaterials, such as adhesive or sealant strip materials will be provided,together with, mobile or portable manufacturing equipment or systems(e.g. measuring, cutting and forming equipment) will be provided onsitefor manufacture of the panels in the field. In addition, the panelcalculation and manufacture may be controlled by the off-sitemanufacturer or the installer/contractor. The on-site production,however, allows the contractor to customize panels if needed.

Roof Assessment

Roof assessment may be conducted by the contractor or by anotherqualified evaluator using methods capable of providing roof detailsufficient for a given regime. Methods of assessment may include manualmeasurement, image analysis (ground or satellite based), drone-basedmeasurements, some combination thereof, or any other method capable ofproviding the necessary roof details for a given regimes' panelcalculation step. For regimes 1 and 2, measurements need only besufficient to calculate a quantity of material required for theinstallation since the disposition of individual panels is left to theinstaller. An estimate of the surface area of each roofing plane on thesite may be sufficient for regime 1 and 2. Regimes 3 and 4 require moreprecise assessment of the roof since both panel quantity and eachpanel's location on the roof will be calculated in the panel calculationstep. In addition to the measurements of each roof plane, assessmentsshould include position and geometry of penetrations (skylights,chimneys, etc.), roof plane pitches, roof plane edge conditions (eave,rake, valley, vertical wall, ridge, etc.), job site location andbuilding orientation. Roof assessment data should be sufficient toproduce an accurate representation of the roof.

Panel Calculation

For regimes 1 and 2, panel calculation involves calculating the quantityof material required for the installation i.e. the required number ofpanels for regime 1 and coil length for regime 2. Such calculationsshould take into account the required overlaps and material widths andshould include a waste factor to account for damaged panels, or otherunforeseen issues on the job site. Both regimes 1 and 2 generally leavecalculation of individual panel disposition (position on roof,installation order, cutouts, panel length, fastener number and location,etc.) for the installer to determine during the installation process.

For regimes 3 and 4, the information gathered in the roof assessmentphase is used to determine both the quantity of panels and thedisposition or positioning of each individual panel for Regime 3, andfurther the coil length and adhesive requirements for Regime 4.Disposition in this case indicates the specific location of the panelalong the roof plane(s), according to the required geometry of the panelbased on its location relative to roof plane edges or obstructions, therequired number and location of fasteners or other fixation means, andthe individual panel's place in the installation sequence.

Using the information gathered from the roof assessment phase, alongwith specified design rules (e.g. design trends or industry practices),local building code requirements, and installation best practices orrequirements (e.g. installation practices, accommodating factors such asweather, region of the country, particularities of theinstallations/job-site, and/or other factors as will be understood bypersons skilled in the art), the panel disposition may be defined eithermanually or programmatically via a panel disposition calculationalgorithm. By implementing consensus design rules, installation bestpractices or requirements, and local building code requirements into thecalculation algorithm, much of the knowledge typically required for asuccessful roofing installation is integrated into the panel rather thanrelying on the experience and knowhow of the installer. This increasesthe available labor pool and ensures consistency of installationquality.

FIG. 11 illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of inputs and outputs of apanel disposition calculation algorithm or system according to anembodiment of the roofing system of the present disclosure. Thealgorithm or system may produce a digital representation of a specificroof R showing the disposition of all roofing panels of the installationaccording to inputs from the roof assessment. This is illustrated in oneembodiment in FIG. 12 . In other embodiments, a map or diagram, and/or aseries of instructions illustrating or detailing location, placement, orpositioning of each panel or sets or groups of panels can be provided.Still further, such instructions also can include directions orindicators as to placement of fasteners of connectors for securing theroofing panels to adjacent roofing panels, for bending, cutting orotherwise manipulating portions of the roofing panels, such as to form adrip edge or other features.

Panel Manufacture

A non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure utilizes acontinuous manufacturing process suitable for all four regimes. In thisprocess, a supply or continuous master roll of the panel material isprocessed either in a factory or on site to produce finished panels. Inall regimes, the process includes a decoiling step to remove materialfrom the supply or master roll; a flattening step to remove any residualcoil-induced curvature; an in-line adhesive or sealant application stepto apply adhesive in the decoiling direction; an optional cross websealant or adhesive application step for panel configurations thatrequire sealant along a cut edge; and a cut-to-length step to remove thepanel from the continuous coil and complete the production process.

Panel length is determined by the amount of material passed through theprocess before the cut-to-length shear is activated. For panels inregime 1, the length will be constant while for the other 3 regimes thelength is adjusted as needed to create panels of required length basedon the roof assessment process. This reduces the amount of wastegenerated during installation. If, for example, a 38″ long panel isrequired for a position in the installation, a 38″ long panel is cutfrom the supply or master roll. This contrasts starkly with cutting a48″ panel from the master roll then cutting it down to 38″ duringinstallation. Manufacturing panels in regimes 3 and 4 also includesadjustability of the angle of the cut-to-length cut relative to the coildirection to account for non-orthogonal roof plane edges such as at hipsand valleys. FIG. 13 , for example, shows a custom cut valley panel 20with a non-orthogonal edge 40 that is configured to abut a valley duringinstallation.

Some panel configurations require application of sealant and/or adhesiveacross the width of the web and/or along the height of the panel. Inregime 3 and 4 the application of cross-web sealant will track with theadjustable angle of the cut-to-length cut to ensure non-orthogonal edgescan be properly secured and sealed. This can reduce the need foradditional sealant application during the installation process. Also,for regimes 3 and 4 roofing panels, the offset between the cut edges ofthe panels and the sealant application location is controlled by thepanel disposition algorithm to account for panels that need additionalforming steps such as panels for rake edges, drip edges, vertical wallflashing, protrusion flashing, and the like.

Category 1 panels in all regimes will include either a continuous ordiscontinuous sealant and/or adhesive applied along the lower orexposure edge of the panel. For regimes 3 and 4, additional continuousor discontinuous adhesive stripes may be applied above the first sealantand/or adhesive stripe as determined by the panel disposition algorithmbased on installation location on the roof plane. For example, higherwind uplift resistance may be required around edges of roof planes.Additionally, the vertical position of the first stripe and/or adhesivemay be adjusted or offset from the forward edge of a panel if the panellocation relative to an edge of the roof plane requires additionalforming steps such as bending for eave edges, roof protrusions, and thelike.

Panels in regimes 3 and 4 may also include a marking step during whichpanels are permanently or non-permanently marked with installationinformation.

Markings may indicate many things including, without limitation, paneltype; relative position of panel on the roof (e.g. course and column);absolute position of panel (e.g. relative to a specific point on theroof plane); cut and bend lines for components that will interact withroof obstructions (e.g. chimneys, pitch changes, dormers, and the like);installation order number; assigned roof plane; alignment marks forhorizontal or vertical offset; fastener positions; installation date;and contractor name.

Permanent markings providing instructions for installation, such asmatching the panels, their position along the roof, overlaps, etc., ifincluded, can be located in areas where the panels are overlapped tohide the markings after installation. Non-permanent markings may beapplied to the portion of the panel exposed after installation using amarking material that weathers off or may be otherwise removed (e.g.water-soluble ink), or made not to interfere with the aesthetic of theroof (e.g. disappearing ink and UV ink). Panel markings are an output ofthe panel disposition algorithm. The markings simplify the installationby directing the installer and the instructions are customized for aspecific roof and available on each panel. The result is a reduction inthe skill level required to deliver a correctly installed roofingsystem.

In some non-limiting embodiments, the roofing panels, such as roofingpanels manufactured in accordance with regimes 1 or 3 of FIGS. 6, 7 and9 , can be provided as a kit or pre-manufactured roofing assembly. Sucha roofing assembly can include a quantity of roofing panels determinedbased upon an assessment of the roof geometry, including length, width,pitch and other factors such as placement of obstructions, and packagedtogether and shipped to a job-site for assembly on a building structure.In some instances, such as where the quantity of roofing panels includesa series or one or more sets of standard sized panels, instructions canbe provided to the installer(s) for cutting, bending or otherwiseshaping the panels to match the roof geometry. In other instances, suchas for roofing panels that are custom manufactured as indicated in FIGS.6, 9 and 11 , instructions can be provided (including in someembodiments being printed along the panels themselves) the indicateposition or placement of the roofing panels along the roof, as well asindicating where the installer should bend, cut or otherwise manipulatethe panels to match the roof.

FIG. 14 illustrates a roofing panel 20 according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure with a plurality of peripheral edges 41, and furtherincluding a variety of markings that guide an installer on how and whereto install the panel, identify the panels and including markingsincluding location initiators 43, and indicators of where to cut 44 andbend 45 the panel to form a desired integrated water shedding feature.Other indicator markings such as fastener targets 46, panel alignmentmarkings or guides 47 and other installation instructions also can beprovided. FIG. 15 illustrates a roofing panel 20 according to anembodiment of the disclosure. This roofing panel will be positioned on aroof R where it interfaces with a roof protrusion such as a chimney C.This embodiment is printed with instructions for cutting out sectionsand bending sections to form an integrated flashing 50 that embraces thewalls of the chimney C.

The roofing panel system of the present disclosure has been describedherein in terms of embodiments that exemplify various aspects thereof.It will be understood by the skilled artisan, however, that a wide gamutof additions, deletions, and modifications, both subtle and gross, maywell be made to the illustrated embodiments. For example, roofing panelsof the present disclosure may include surface embossing, photo printedsurfaces, or surface layers for aesthetic purposes. Panel size(s) alsomay be optimized for ease of handling and installation. A non-limitingexample is a rectangular panel size for instance may be 24 inches by 48inches. In some embodiments, the panel size is 24 inches by 40 inches.In some other embodiments, the panel size is 24 inches by 36 inches; 30inches by 36 inches; 30 inches by 40 inches; 30 inches by 48 inches; 36inches by 40 inches; 36 inches by 48 inches; and/or other variationsthereof. However, any size panel as dictated by application specificneeds should be considered to fall within the scope of the invention.

The foregoing description generally illustrates and describes variousembodiments of the present disclosure. It will, however, be understoodby those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications canbe made to the above-discussed construction of the present disclosurewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure asdisclosed herein, and that it is intended that all matter contained inthe above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as being illustrative, and not to be taken in a limitingsense. Furthermore, the scope of the present disclosure shall beconstrued to cover various modifications, combinations, additions,alterations, etc., above and to the above-described embodiments, whichshall be considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.Accordingly, various features and characteristics of the presentdisclosure as discussed herein may be selectively interchanged andapplied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments of thedisclosure, and numerous variations, modifications, and additionsfurther can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

1. A roof system, comprising: a deck having a slope of at least 2:12; aplurality of metal roofing panels configured to be installed along thedeck; each metal roofing panel comprising: an upper surface; a lowersurface; a plurality of peripheral edges; at least one sealant oradhesive region positioned along the upper surface; and an underlaymentpositioned between the deck and the metal roofing panels; wherein themetal roofing panels are installed on the deck with the at least onesealant or adhesive region of each of the metal roofing panels disposedin regions of overlap between adjacent metal roofing panels so as torestrict migration of water between the adjacent metal roofing panels.2. The roof system of claim 1, further comprising instructions appliedto the upper surface, the lower surface, or a combination thereof, of atleast some of the metal roofing panels; wherein the instructionscomprise markings identifying a position at which each panel of theplurality of panels is to be installed on the deck.
 3. The roof systemof claim 2, wherein at least some of the instructions comprise a map,diagram, directions, indicators or combinations thereof, and areconfigured to instruct an installer as to a metal roofing panel type, alocation along the deck, positioning of each metal roofing panel or setsof metal roofing panels along the deck, an installation order of themetal roofing panels, an assigned roof plane for installation of themetal roofing panels, horizontal or vertical offsets of the metalroofing panels, placement of fasteners for securing the metal roofingpanels to adjacent metal roofing panels, bending, cutting ormanipulating portions of the metal roofing panels for interaction withroof obstructions, or combinations thereof.
 4. The roof system of claim1, wherein the at least one sealant or adhesive region comprises atleast one self-seal strip positioned along the upper surface adjacent atleast one of the peripheral edges; the at least one self-seal stripconfigured to attach the metal roofing panel to a lower surface of anadjacent metal roofing panel.
 5. The roof system of claim 1, wherein theat least one sealant or adhesive region comprises at least two sealantor adhesive regions positioned along the upper surface of each metalroofing panel and arranged substantially perpendicular.
 6. The roofsystem of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional sealant oradhesive region arranged along the lower surface of at least some of themetal roofing panels.
 7. The roof system of claim 1, wherein at least aportion of the plurality of metal roofing panels comprise a quantity ofmetal roofing panels formed with predetermined standard roofing panelconfigurations.
 8. The roof system of claim 1, wherein the underlaymentcomprises a weather resistant material configured to divert water fromthe deck.
 9. A method, comprising: obtaining a geometry of a roof,including a length, width and pitch of the roof; generating a pluralityof metal roofing panel dispositions for constructing the roof based, atleast in part, upon the geometry of the roof and at least one of adesign requirement, a building code requirement, installation practice,or combinations thereof; generating a plurality of metal roofing panels,each of the metal roofing panels configured to be installed based, atleast in part, at a corresponding one of the generated metal roofingpanel dispositions; and generating instructions for installation of eachof the metal roofing panels at each of the plurality of metal roofingpanel dispositions to form the roof; wherein the metal roofing panelseach comprise an upper surface, a lower surface, a plurality ofperipheral edges, and at least one sealant or adhesive region positionedalong the upper or lower surface thereof, adjacent at least one of theperipheral edges; and wherein the metal roofing panels are installed ona deck of the roof with the at least one sealant or adhesive region ofeach of the metal roofing panels disposed in regions of overlap betweenadjacent metal roofing panels so as to restrict migration of waterbetween the adjacent metal roofing panels.
 10. The method of claim 9,further comprising applying the instructions for installation of eachmetal roofing panel on the roof along a lower surface of at least one ofthe plurality of metal roofing panels.
 11. The method of claim 9,wherein generating a plurality of metal roofing panel dispositionscomprises determining a quantity of metal roofing panels forconstructing the roof and determining a panel position for each metalroofing panel along the roof.
 12. The method of claim 11, whereingenerating the plurality of metal roofing panels comprises forming atleast a portion of the plurality of metal roofing panels at a site ofinstallation of the roof.
 13. A roof assembly kit comprising: aplurality of metal roofing panels, each comprising an upper surface, alower surface, a plurality of peripheral edges, and at least one sealantor adhesive region positioned along the upper surface or the lowersurface; wherein the plurality of metal roofing panels are configured tobe installed on a deck of a roof to form the roof in accordance with anassessment of a geometry for the roof; and instructions for installationof each metal roofing panel of the plurality of metal roofing panels ata predetermined position on the deck of the roof based, at least inpart, upon the geometry of the roof, and at least one of a building coderequirement, a design requirement, an installation practice, orcombinations thereof; wherein the metal roofing panels are installed onthe deck of the roof with the at least one sealant or adhesive region ofeach of the metal roofing panels disposed in regions of overlap betweenadjacent metal roofing panels so as to restrict migration of waterbetween the adjacent metal roofing panels.
 14. The roof assembly kit ofclaim 13, wherein the instructions for installation of each of metalroofing panel are applied along the lower surface of at least one of theplurality of metal roofing panels.
 15. The roof assembly kit of claim13, wherein the at least one sealant or adhesive region comprises atleast one self-seal strip positioned along the upper surface of eachmetal roofing panel adjacent one of the peripheral edges thereof; the atleast one self-seal strip configured to attach the metal roofing panelto a lower surface of an adjacent metal roofing panel.
 16. The roofassembly kit of claim 13, wherein the at least one sealant or adhesiveregion comprises at least two sealant or adhesive regions positionedalong the upper surface, the lower surface, or a combination thereof, ofeach metal roofing panel and arranged substantially perpendicular. 17.The roof assembly kit of claim 13, wherein at least some of theplurality of metal roofing panels are sized at a site of installation ofthe roof.
 18. The roof assembly kit of claim 13, wherein at least aportion of the plurality of metal roofing panels comprise a quantity ofroofing panels formed with predetermined standard roofing panelconfigurations.
 19. The roof assembly kit of claim 13, wherein at leastsome of the instructions comprise a map, diagram, directions, indicatorsor combinations thereof, and are configured to instruct an installer asto a metal roofing panel type, a location along the deck, positioning ofeach metal roofing panel or sets of metal roofing panels along the deck,an installation order of the metal roofing panels, an assigned roofplane for installation of the metal roofing panels, horizontal orvertical offsets of the metal roofing panels, placement of fasteners forsecuring the metal roofing panels to adjacent metal roofing panels,bending, cutting or manipulating portions of the metal roofing panelsfor interaction with roof obstructions, or combinations thereof.
 20. Theroof assembly kit of claim 13, wherein the instructions for installationof each metal roofing panel comprise a plurality of non-permanentmarkings applied along at least one of the upper and lower surfaces ofthe metal roofing panels, and comprising a marking material configuredto be removed upon exposure to weather.